Göller Dunkel

Review Date 10/20/2023 By John Staradumsky

  Style: Munich Dunkel   Brewery: Göller   Country: Germany   State: N/A   $ Per OZ: $.30 (B)   ABV: 5.2%

Göller Bier! I wanted to drink some Göller Bier! I was pretty sure I was going to do so, too, because I was planning my annual trip to Helen for Oktoberfest with my kids, and hopped on over to Untappd to see what folks were checking into at the Helen Festhalle. That’s where I saw they were drinking Göller Bier! Göller Dunkel to be exact, and Göller Baptist Hell, both of them on tap and in bottles. Further research showed that the Troll Tavern had the Baptist Hell on tap, too. I was going to drink Göller Bier!

Of course, the only thing I knew about Brauerei Göller was that I had never heard of them before. A bit of research showed they are located in Franconia in Bavaria, and have been brewing there since 1514. That is over 500 years, and two years before the legendary Bavarian Reinheitsgebot was enacted.

The long-awaited day arrived, and we arrived, too: in Helen. First stop was the Hofbrauhaus Restaurant and GI Germany pub, where we were seated outside along the scenic Chattahoochee River. Many fine brews were to be ahd here, but…no Göller Bier! I consoled myself with a knockwurst with hot German potato salad, a Paulaner Oktoberfest and a Hofbräu Dunkel.

Meanwhile, my son Nathan had his eyes on the famous Germanator burger: Two half pound beef patties, one knockwurst, one bratwurst, corned beef, sauerkraut, 4 slices of cheese, 8 strips of bacon, all on a brioche bun. Plus a side. This monstrosity commands a hefty $35 price tag, but if you eat it all, you get bragging rights, and win a prize. He ate it all! The server came out and plunked down the prize: a plastic Miller Lite mug? Ah, but this mug has special powers: you get half price liter fills at locations throughout Helen. Since my son does not drink that much, off we went to the Troll Tavern, in search of… Göller Bier!

As previously mentioned, I had seen check ins on Untappd to Göller Baptist Hell, and after we were seated at the bar, I asked for a mug full of it. The bartender took my mug, went to fill it and I heard another gal utter words that struck terror in my heart: “We’re out of that.” No!!!!! It could not be! But it was, and so I got a fill of Erdinger Weissbier. Which was quite delicious as always.

Next stop was Old Heidelberg where I always get Weltenburger Kloster Asam Bock. I got a full liter, and it was, as always, magnificent. No Göller Bier here, though, and I was beginning to despair of ever finding any. So, after I finished my beloved Asam Bock, we trekked back to the hotel and I donned my Lederhosen before we headed off to the Festhalle for beer, music, more food, and Gemütlichkeit.  

And…finally… Göller Bier! I bought the 2023 souvenir mug here and asked if they had any Göller Bier to fill it with, and sadly the draft was gone. They had it in bottles though! So, I got a fill of Paulaner Oktoberfest in my mug, and a swing-top bottle of Göller Dunkel to boot.

I must say, the Göller Dunkel was worth all the effort. It has an alcohol contyent of 5.2% by volume according to the brewery. I think I paid about $10 for my bottle.

The brewery says about this beer:

Göller Dunkel wurde erstmals 1978 zum Anlass der 650-Jahr-Feier der Stadt Zeil eingebraut und ausgeschenkt. Die Resonanz war überwältigend und das Bier wurde überregional schnell als das „Jahrhundertbier“ aus Zeil a. Main bekannt. Bei Meiningers International Craft Beer Award, European Beer Star und World Beer Awardwurde Göller Dunkel mehrfach ausgezeichnet.

Which means if you don’t speak German:

Göller Dunkel was brewed and served for the first time in 1978 on the occasion of the 650th anniversary of the city of Zeil. The response was overwhelming and the beer quickly became known nationwide as the "beer of the century" from Zeil an Main. Göller Dunkel has received several awards at Meininger's International Craft Beer Award, European Beer Star and World Beer Award.

I could see why.

Göller Dunkel pours to a dark mahogany color with a thick fluffy head of tan foam and a nose of fresh baked chocolate chip cookies. The beer is rich and malty in the palate, with more of those delicious cookie notes and toasted nutty goodness to boot. It is loaded with deep-seated dark malty goodness, and finishes mostly balanced with a gentle kiss of hops.

The next morning, we stopped at Alpine Brew Package Store and Bottle Haus where I happily found bottled Göller Bier to take home. They did not have the Dunkel sadly else I would have bought some, but they did have the Original (a Pilsner), Baptist Helles, and..wait for it…a Rauchbier! All for $4.99 each. More on these soon.  

 Glad I tried it?  T

Would I rebuy it??